Golf club cover

ABSTRACT

A cover for golf club woods comprises molded mating plastic cover halves hinged at the rear of the shank portion of the club to operate in a manner of &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;clam shells.&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; The hinge has finger clasps or tabs to open the cover which tabs are molded integral with and at the same time as the cover halves. The hinge is specifically of the snap together ball and socket type.

United States Patent Bibeau July 1, 1975 1 GOLF CLUB COVER 2,705,039 3/1955 Halter 150/52 0 3,1l7,609 1/1964 Pio r t 150/52 G Inventor: L. Bibcau, 5 Colony Way, 3 K h l G Nashua NH. 03060 0e ne r,

[ Filed? 1974 Primary Examiner-Donald F. Norton [211 APPL NO; 496,081 Attorney, Agent, or FirmLee A. Strimbeck Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 368,851, June ll, ABSTRACT 7 l9 abandoned A cover for golf club woods comprises molded mating [52] U S 150/52 [50/52 G plastic cover halves hinged at the rear of the shank [5]] 57/00 portion of the club to operate in a manner of "clam shells." The hinge has finger clasps or tabs to open the [58] Field of Search 150/52 G cover which tabs are molded integral with and at the [56] Rderences cued same time as the cover halves. The hinge is specifically of the snap together ball and socket type. UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,508,525 5/1950 LeFeure ISO/52 G 6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PMENTEHJUU 1975 GOLF CLUB COVER RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation-impart of an earlier filed application of the same title. Ser. No. 368.851. filed June ll. I973. and now abandoned.

This invention relates to a cover for golf club woods to protect the same.

An object of this invention is to provide a plastic golf club cover composed of two suitably hinged halves readily manufactured as by injection molding which after molding can be assembled simply by snapping together the hinge-portion of the halves. A spring can be interposed therebetween to bias the halves in the closed position or alternatively. the halves can be designed to be opened and closed solely by finger pressure. The halves can also be designed to come together with a snap fit.

This and other objects are accomplished by constructing the golf club cover in such a manner that the two halves of the cover operate in a clam shell fashion. The hinge of the clam shell is specifically formed from a ball and socket-type hinge that can be snapped together much in the manner that poppet beads are snapped together. Two finger tabs are molded integral with each half of the shell and extend over the hinge. serving as lever arms with the ball and socket joint as a fulcrum whereby the plastic cover can be opened by the pressing together of the tabs. A spring can, if desired. be inserted between the finger tabs at the time of assembly of the halves to bias the cover in the closed position.

Since the cover is of an injection molded plastic such as a polypropylene. polyethelene. nylon, or other thermoplastic. it is waterproof and capable of taking considerable abuse. The outer surface of the cover can. of course. be decoratively modeled as desired and if the cover were to be used as a giveaway promotional item. the cover could have thereon such trademarks, symbols. messages. etc.. as may be desired.

THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. I is a perspective view of the cover in its open position about a golf club;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the cover in its closed position;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view. taken along line CC of FIG. 2, of one type of ball and socket hinge and one type of spring for biasing the cover in the closed position. namely a plastic butterfly spring;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view. taken along line CC of FIG. 2. of an alternate type of ball and socket joint;

Both FIGS. 3 and 4 being drawn as if one were looking at the back of the shank portion of the cover;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the hinge joint of FIG. 3, taken along line A-A thereof; and

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the hinge joint of FIG. 4. taken along line B-B thereof.

In the drawings. like parts have been given the same numbers throughout in the interests of simplicity.

DESCRIPTION Referring to FIG. I. the cover of this invention comprises two halves. 11 and 12, which are shown in their open position and which extend about the head 13 and the shank 14 of the golf club wood. The cover has two finger tabs one of which. 15, is shown on FIG. 1.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the two halves of the cover are about equal in size and the mating line between them goes from the front of the shank of the club over the top center portion of the wood. around the toe to the mid-portion of the heel and then up the rear portion of the shank.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the cover and is presented in the interest of clarity. The hinge that joins the two halves is generally indicated at 17 but lies behind tabs 15 so it cannot be seen in FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 is an exploded enlarged view of one type of hinge. The two molded tabs. 15 and 16, are not shown completely but instead are indicated by the breakaway lines. The same is true of FIG. 4.

Referring specifically to FIG. 3, to form the hinge joint. protrusions 20 are molded integral on one-half of the cover. in this case half I 1. These protrusions are cylindrical about the axis of rotation of the hinge joint and contain sockets 21 at either end thereof to receive a mating ball of the other half of the hinge. The other half of the hinge molded with cover half 12 comprises cylindrical recesses 22 to mate with the cylinders 20. Spheres or approximate spheres 23 that mate with the sockets 21 are formed at the end of recesses 22 during molding. After molding the hinge is assembled by first inserting in recesses molded in the finger tabs 15 and 16 a butterfly hinge 30, made of metal or of a plastic such as a nylon. and then snapping the balls 23 into sockets 21. As illustrated. the butterfly spring 30 is shown as associated with half 11 and is not in place on half 12. the joint having not been snapped together.

It is to be noted that in the hinge of FIG. 3 the axis of each ball and socket joint is in a line that coincides with the axis of revolution of the hinge joint.

Referring to FIG. 4, cylinder 40 which ends with half spheres. is molded integral with the shell. in one-half. ll, of the molded shell and in the other half. 12, a corresponding mating socket 41 are molded. In this embodiment the cylinder 40 must be substantially round in cross-section in order to permit the hinge rotary motion or action, and it is desirable to leave some gap in the area of the hinge between the edges 11A and 12A of the halves.

Turning to FIG. 5, the shank of the golf club is illustrated at 50. The cover is illustrated in its closed position with the butterfly hinge 30 there between. In this cross sectional view, a portion of the hinge-cylinder is shown at 20.

As can be seen. butterfly hinge 30 is in the open or spread position and mates with recesses 15a and 16a molded in the inside walls of tabs 15 and 16. When the tabs 15 or 16 are pressed together. spring 30 is compressed there between while the tabs rotate about hinge 20 and the covers 11 and 12 open in the manner of a clam shell. Release of the finger pressure permits the spring to act to close covers 11 and 12.

In FIG. 6 an alternative method of spring biasing the finger clasp is shown. As the cylinder 40 is snapped into the socket 41 a helical spring 51 is interposed between the finger tabs 15 and 16 in mating recesses 15b and 3 1612 provided in the inner surfaces thereof. Pressing tabs and 16 together causes tab 16 and half cover 12 to rotate about balls 40 openingsthe golf club cover.

While spring-loading of the cover halfs is preferred. the use of a spring is not mandatory as the cover halfs can be readily closed by applying finger pressure near the toe portion. lf spring biasing is not used. it is desirable to have the cover halfs come together with a snap fit as by molding slight protrusions in the lips of the halfs that yieldably interlock.

As can be appreciated. the snap together ball and socket joints illustrated permit a wide swing of the half covers or shells so that the clubs can be removed and inserted quite easily therein. While not specifically illustrated the wide surfaces are lined as desired with a resilient material such as cloth. floc. sponge polyvinyl' chloride. etc. to give a pleasing appearance and to fur ther protect the woods.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cover for the wood of a golf club, a cover of a molded plastic generally conforming to the shape of said wood and the bottom portion of the shank thereto. said cover being lined with a resilient material generally conforming to the shape of the particular wood to be contained therein. said cover being composed of two cover halves mating on a line following the front ofthe shank over the mid-portion of the top of said wood, across the toe to the mid-portion of the heel and thence up the back of the shank. said cover halves being pivotedly joined at the back of the shank portion by a finger operable. spring-biased. pop-together ball and socket hinge joint. said hinge joint including two rearwardly directed finger clasps extending over and covering said hinge joint. said finger clasps being spread apart when said cover is in the closed position and serving as lever arms to open said cover about said hinge joint as a fulcrum. one half of said hinge joint and a clasp being of the same material and being integrally molded into each of said cover halves, and spring means between and associated with said clasps to bias said cover in the closed position.

2. The golf club cover of claim 1 wherein said hinge joint comprises a rounded ended cylinder on one of said cover halves and a mating socket on the other of said cover halves, the centerlines of each being parallel to the axis of rotation of said hinge joint.

3. The golf club cover of claim 1 wherein said spring means is a helical spring interposed between said finger clasps.

4. The golf club cover of claim 1 wherein said spring is a plastic butterfly spring fitting into mating recesses in the inner walls of said clasps.

5. The golf club cover of claim 1 wherein said hinge joint comprises balls on one of said halves and mating sockets on the other of said halves all of which balls and sockets have a common centerline of rotation coinciding with the axis of rotation of said hinge joint.

6. In a cover for the wood of a golf club, a cover of a molded plastic generally conforming to the shape of said wood and the bottom portion of the shank thereto, said cover generally conforming to the shape of the particular wood to be contained therein and being composed of two cover halves mating on a line following the front of the shank over the mid-portion of the top of said wood. across the toe to the mid-portion of the heel and thence up the back of the shank. said cover halves being pivotedly joined at the back of the shank portion by a finger operable pop-together ball and socket hinge joint. said hinge joint including two rearwardly directed finger clasps extending over and covering said hinge joint, said finger clasps being spread apart when said cover is in the closed position and serving as lever arms to open said cover about said hinge joint as a fulcrum, one half of said hinge joint and a clasp being of the same material and being integrally molded into each of said cover halves.

* =l l =l= 

1. In a cover for the wood of a golf club, a cover of a molded plastic generally conforming to the shape of said wood and the bottom portion of the shank thereto, said cover being lined with a resilient material generally conforming to the shape of the particular wood to be contained therein, said cover being composed of two cover halves mating on a line following the front of the shank over the mid-portion of the top of said wood, across the toe to the mid-portion of the heel and thence up the back of the shank, said cover halves being pivotedly joined at the back of the shank portion by a finger operable, spring-biased, pop-together ball and socket hinge joint, said hinge joint including two rearwardly directed finger clasps extending over and covering said hinge joint, said finger clasps being spread apart when said cover is in the closed position and serving as lever arms to open said cover about said hinge joint as a fulcrum, one half of said hinge joint and a clasp being of the same material and being integrally molded into each of said cover halves, and spring means between and associated with said clasps to bias said cover in the closed position.
 2. The golf club cover of claim 1 wherein said hinge joint comprises a rounded ended cylinder on one of said cover halves and a mating socket on the other of said cover halves, the centerlines of each being parallel to the axis of rotation of said hinge joint.
 3. The golf club cover of claim 1 wherein said spring means is a helical spring interposed between said finger clasps.
 4. The golf club cover of claim 1 wherein said spring is a plastic butterfly spring fitting into mating recesses in the inner walls of said clasps.
 5. The golf club cover of claim 1 wherein said hinge joint comprises balls on one of said halves and mating sockets on the other of said halves all of which balls and sockets have a common centerline of rotation coinciding with the axis of rotation of said hinge joint.
 6. In a cover for the wood of a golf club, a cover of a molded plastic generally conforming to the shape of said wood and the bottom portion of the shank thereto, said cover generally conforming to the shape of the particular wood to be contained therein and being composed of two cover halves mating on a line following the front of the shank over the mid-portion of the top of said wood, across the toe to the mid-portion of the heel and thence up the back of the shank, said cover halves being pivotedly joined at the back of the shank portion by a finger operable pop-together ball and socket hinge joint, said hinge joint including two rearwardly directed finger clasps extending over and covering said hinge joint, said finger clasps being spread apart when said cover is in the closed position and serving as lever arms to open said cover about said hinge joint as a fulcrum, one half of said hinge joint and a clasp being of the same material and being integrally molded into each of said cover halves. 